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Warp gates are present on thousands of worlds[5] with each connecting to other active gates unless specifically programmed not to do so. The Aiur gate[6] opens for six minutes before disabling itself.[3] There is also a gate on Shakuras[7] and Ehlna.

The warp gate of Shakuras can be sealed against entry from any other gate. Anything attempting to access the gate while it is being sealed would be redirected to a world, survivable to the protoss, but without access to other protoss. If zerg managed to enter the gate in such a state, they would pose no threat to Shakuras.

When someone enters a gate, the "ground" seems solid beneath them but it quickly becomes dark until they reach near the other side.[5]

Much of protoss technology is based on the study of xel'naga artifacts. The protoss gateway and stargate perform similarly to the xel'naga warp gate but are technically inferior due to incomplete understanding of the original examples.[8]

During the mentorship the protoss learned to build warp gates from the xel'naga. The protoss continued to build their own gates during the Aeon of Strife before the necessary knowledge was lost until recent times. The strategic value of rediscovered xel'naga and protoss warp gates means conflict may erupt as great powers attempt to assert control over them.[4]

Following the zerginvasion of Aiur and the destruction of the Overmind, the zerg rampaged across Aiur, killing nearly seventy percent of its population. [9]Aiur had a single functional warp gate. Survival became the primary concern for the protoss. DarkPrelateZeratul and PraetorArtanis led an exodus of refugees through the gate to Shakuras. Zerg were already extant in the gate's immediate vicinity.[6]

Templar, including Praetor Fenix[7] and Ladranix,[3] and Commander Jim Raynor remained on Aiur to defend the refugees fleeing to the gate. However, zerg also began making the transit to the Dark Templar homeworld.[7] The defenders were forced to shut down the gate to inhibit the zerg.[10] Fenix programmed the gate not to open onto Shakuras, whereas Raynor simply shot the control panel with his rifle. The stranded protoss scattered.

The UED had to deal with both the nearby, and seemingly disoriented, zerg, in addition to protoss and terran fortifications, as they closed in on Mengsk. However, the gate's energies incited the surrounding zerg to attack;[2] in the confusion Raynor and Mengsk escaped through the gate, which then self-destructed.[11]

The Aiur warp gate was reactivated during the End War, sending zerg and hybrid forces commanded by Amon through to attack Shakuras.[18] The Shakuras warp gate was destroyed along with the rest of the planet.[19]

↑Jim Raynor: "Executor, my crew and I will remain here on Aiur and shut the gate down on this side. It's the only way to make sure that the Zerg won't send more reinforcements to Shakuras."Artanis: "You will be hopelessly outnumbered, and once the gate is shut down there will be no one to save you should you be overrun."Raynor: "Yeah, well... I'm a man of action. What can I say?"Fenix: "I shall remain with Raynor as well, Executor. My duty is to Aiur, after all."Artanis: "Farewell then, brave warriors. We will send through all the troops we can spare." StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: Dunes of Shakuras (in English). 1998.